title: Relationships among blood pressure, triglycerides and verbal learning in African Americans.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Individuals at greater risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) display poorer cognitive functioning across various cognitive domains. This finding is particularly prevalent among older adults; however, few studies examine these relationships among younger adults or among African Americans.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to examine the relationships among 2 cardiovascular risk factors, elevated blood pressure and elevated triglycerides, and verbal learning in a community-based sample of African Americans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measurements of blood pressure and triglycerides were obtained in 121 African-American adults and compared to performance on 3 domains of the California Verbal Learning Test-II (CVLT-II).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Blood pressure was not related to CVLT-II performance. Triglyceride levels were inversely related to CVLT-II performance. Higher triglyceride levels were associated with poorer immediate, short delay and long delay recall.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Consistent with studies involving older participants, the current investigation shows that in a nonelderly sample of African Americans, triglyceride levels may be related to cognitive functioning. Because early detection and intervention of vascular-related cognitive impairment may have a salutary effect, future studies should include younger adults to highlight the impact of cardiovascular risk on cognition.
authors.affiliation: Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27706, USA. regina.sims@duke.edu
authors.forename: Regina C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Sims
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Madhere
authors.forename: Shalanda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.forename: Elijah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Kobi A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Abayomi
authors.forename: Clive O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Callender
authors.forename: Alfonso L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Campbell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014706:Verbal Learning
chemical_list: D014280:Triglycerides